"Lord of the Rings: Gollum Hunt Premieres December 2027"

Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema have set an exciting release date for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, planning to unveil Sméagol's tale to audiences on December 17, 2027. This premiere date is over two years away, indicating at least a one-year delay from the previously announced 2026 plan. However, this news is unlikely to dampen the spirits of fantasy enthusiasts who are already dreaming of how they'll celebrate Christmas in 2027 with this cinematic treat.

The film is under the direction of Andy Serkis, renowned for his work on Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle. Serkis is not only stepping behind the camera but will also reprise his iconic role as Gollum, a character he famously portrayed in both the original The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. Fans will be thrilled to know that Serkis's deep understanding of Gollum will be complemented by the involvement of other Middle-earth veterans such as Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Zane Weiner as producers, with Walsh, Boyens, Phoebe Gittins, and Arty Papageorgiou contributing to the screenplay.

Peter Jackson has offered a glimpse into the film's narrative direction, hinting that beloved characters' pasts will be explored. He emphasized the intention to delve into aspects of Gollum's journey that were previously untold. "We really want to explore [Gollum’s] backstory and delve into those parts of his journey we didn’t have time to cover in the earlier films," Jackson remarked. "It’s too soon to know who will cross his path, but suffice to say we will take our lead from [original author J.R.R. Tolkien]."

The Lord of the Rings Movies in (Chronological) Order

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As Warner Bros. forges ahead with future The Lord of the Rings projects, The Hunt for Gollum is poised to introduce fans to more familiar faces from Middle-earth. Gandalf, for instance, is one name expected to appear, with Philippa Boyens suggesting to Empire that the wizard might feature in two live-action films. There's also buzz that the role of Gandalf could be reprised by the original actor, Ian McKellen.

With The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum slated for release in three Decembers' time, fans have a long wait ahead. In the interim, they can stay updated with the latest developments on Amazon Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which has been confirmed to return for Season 3 earlier this year.